Rex Regis

9

Outside of a light rainstorm early on Samedi afternoon, Quaeryt’s force encountered little difficulty with weather … or with the locals, and as before, saw no sign of any high holdings or holders on the way to Ghaern, where they had spent the night. They were on the road early on Solayi, and again early on Lundi, after bivouacking in a nameless hamlet that Quaeryt did not even remember from the ride to Ephra.

By late midafternoon on Mardi, he was getting even more tired of the bad roads of Bovaria. He and the imagers had already replaced another two bridges-poor timber constructions washed out by spring floods. On the ride south, he’d wondered how long some of the bridges would last, and he’d definitely found out. Yet he had to wonder why the local factors or holders hadn’t invested in stronger construction.

“Because they use the river, and they built the bridges just strong enough so that the locals can reach the market towns and their factorages,” said Vaelora. “That’s what you told me before. I can’t believe that’s changed.”

“Except that we’ve had spring rains since then,” replied Quaeryt dourly.

“Each bridge the imagers rebuild strengthens Bhayar’s rule, and it’s another one someone won’t have to replace anytime soon.”

“You don’t think people will actually be grateful, do you?”

“Some will. Some won’t. At the very least, it will suggest that Bhayar can affect things anywhere. Isn’t that what you’re planning with the imagers?”

Quaeryt laughed. “Your point is taken, my lady.”

The sun was almost touching the tops of the trees on the west side of the River Laar when Quaeryt noted that the cots along the east side of the river had gotten closer and closer together and that the tended fields took up far more of the land than did orchards and woodlots. He also noted that while the holders and others working the land gave the troopers wary glances and did not approach, none of them fled. He also didn’t see shuttered windows and closed doors. “We must be getting close to Daaren.”

“That’s good.”

“We need to take a break to rest the mounts and you.”

“I don’t know that I like the way you worded that, dearest.”

“I obviously need a rest as well,” replied Quaeryt. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I need a rest … a rest, dearest.”

Quaeryt offered a doleful look, then grinned.

“Sometimes…” Vaelora shook her head.

“I know … but you wanted someone who appreciated all your qualities.”

“All of them,” replied Vaelora tartly. “You appreciate some excessively at times.”

“They’re worth excessive-”

“Quaeryt…”

Quaeryt sighed, excessively.

Vaelora put her hand on the hilt of her sabre.

Quaeryt grinned and pointed. “Look. You can see the bridge that Threkhyl imaged.”

“It is impressive,” Vaelora agreed cheerfully.

Quaeryt did not sigh in relief, much as he felt like it.

The bridge that the imagers had constructed over the Phraan River on their ride south months before looked dusty, and the road on the south side looked more heavily traveled than before, but there were no signs of wear otherwise as first company led the way over the span and then into the main part of Daaren. The locals did clear the streets as the Telaryn riders appeared, but only so far as the sidewalks.

The innkeeper at the Grande Laar Inn only looked moderately discouraged when he caught sight of Zhelan and Quaeryt. “How long … might I ask, sirs?”

“One or two days, most likely. No more than three,” replied Quaeryt. After that, he left the arrangements for quartering first company and Calkoran’s troopers in Zhelan’s hands, while he went over instructions with Khaern for quartering his men in the inns farther north along Daaren’s main boulevard. Once he was finished with that, he rejoined Vaelora in the main entry hall of the inn.

Before Quaeryt had more than a few words with Vaelora, a squad leader hurried into the inn. “Commander, there are some factors who would like a moment with you.”

Vaelora raised her eyebrows.

“They can have a moment with me and Lady Vaelora, but give us a little time to set up one of the private chambers.”

“Yes, sir.”

Quaeryt quickly made arrangements to use the first private room, then hurried in to rearrange the furniture so that he and Vaelora would sit behind the circular table … and so that all the other chairs were against the side wall. The two of them had barely seated themselves when the two factors entered the room.

Quaeryt wasn’t in the slightest surprised to see the comparatively young factor Jarell as the first of the two men to enter the private chamber, since Jarell had emerged as the most diplomatic of the factors when Southern Army had stopped in Daaren in the fall. As before, the clean-shaven Jarell had his straight brown hair slicked back from a high forehead, and he smiled winningly directly at Vaelora. With him was a much older man, white-haired, who Quaeryt thought might have been watching with Jarell at the time the imagers had rebuilt the bridge over the Phraan. He did not smile. Both men bowed.

“Might I present Factor Palumyn?” offered Jarell, his voice deep and pleasant. “He is the head of the factors’ council of Daaren.”

“You might,” replied Quaeryt. “We are pleased to see you both in health.”

“There have been many rumors,” Jarell went on, “about your return, Lady and Commander…”

“And you would like to know what happened?” Quaeryt smiled. “Submarshal Skarpa now holds Liantiago and Antiago for Lord Bhayar. The Autarch Aliaro and his palace and most of his armies have been destroyed.”

“Destroyed … not defeated?”

Quaeryt shrugged. “His forces were defeated at Suemyron and again at Barna, and twice more between Barna and Liantiago. From what we could determine he gathered all his remaining forces and imagers into the palace fortress at Liantiago in an effort to force us to concentrate our troopers so that he could destroy all of us. In the end, it worked out the other way. There is a rather large gully where the Autarch’s palace used to be. There might be a thousand surviving Antiagon troopers.”

“I see.” Jarell paused. “Might I ask if this was a costly victory?”

“Not terribly. The submarshal’s regiments remain close to full strength.” Quaeryt smiled again. “They will likely remain in Antiago for a time, but the forces assigned to Lady Vaelora are more than adequate for any duties within Bovaria. We did rebuild several bridges on the river road between Daaren and Geusyn. You factors might be interested to know that before the last encounter, when we destroyed three Antiagon warships and their imagers, Aliaro’s forces destroyed Ephra totally, and leveled Kephria and Geusyn. We rebuilt the harbor facilities at Kephria and left several companies there to maintain order while the city recovers. But with the destruction of Ephra and the far better harbor at Kephria under Lord Bhayar’s control … and few Antiagon factors remaining…”

The older factor nodded. “Are you suggesting … or insisting?”

“Merely suggesting. I would think it would offer an opportunity, and certainly some factors will take advantage of it.”

“Who would risk that?” asked Palumyn almost scornfully.

“I do know of one Antiagon factoring and shipping family that is very interested,” replied Quaeryt.

“You would let Antiagons…”

“Lord Bhayar intends to treat all factors under his rule equally. As I said, I just wanted you to know, and I trust you will pass on the information to other factors.”

“As you intimated might occur … when you were here in late fall, we have received notice from Lord Bhayar that all factors are being assessed an additional tariff of ten golds,” said Jarell. “Such an amount … when we have already paid this year’s tariffs…” He shook his head.

“If you had paid to have rebuilt the bridge across the Phraan … how much would that have cost you?” asked Quaeryt.

“We did not need a new bridge … and not one so … massive.”

“I’d wager that every factor in Daaren has seen more trade and saved time because of the bridge.” Quaeryt looked evenly at the pair, imaging projecting a slight compulsion to reply honestly.

“Ah … that may be … but…”

“You will not have to pay to replace it anytime soon, and there will be more benefits from Lord Bhayar’s rule. He is not seizing your goods or your women. He is not taking your factorages and turning them over to Telaryn merchants. He is asking for reasonable compensation for putting Bovaria back together under a fairer ruler. Can you honestly tell me that Rex Kharst was fair?”

Neither factor would meet Quaeryt’s gaze.

After several moments Vaelora said quietly, “Do you wish me to report to my brother that you refuse to pay this pittance?”

“Lady Vaelora … ten golds is not a pittance…” sputtered the white-haired Palumyn.

“To keep your factorages and your livelihood after you supported a ruler as evil as Kharst … I would not call it exorbitant. Would you?” Vaelora raised her eyebrows.

Again, both men lowered their eyes.

“Are there any other matters you would like to bring before Lady Vaelora?”

“No … Commander,” replied Jarell. “We appreciate your guidance and forbearance, and that of Lord Bhayar.”

Quaeryt had strong doubts that either man felt much appreciation.

After the pair left, he shook his head. “I’m going to need to visit the factors’ council tomorrow and obtain a listing of all factors … and make it clear that we really don’t want to have to make an example of Daaren, but that we will … if we must.”

Vaelora nodded sadly.

“Now … if you would like to repair to your chamber and wash up…”

“What about you? You aren’t exactly the freshest of spring mint, dearest.”

Quaeryt grinned. “I will follow your example … after I check with Zhelan.”

Not surprisingly, Quaeryt found the major out in the side courtyard, watching as the squad leaders carried out their duties. When he finished with Zhelan, Quaeryt met with the imager undercaptains and gave them a simple duty for the next day-to ride up and down the streets of Daaren and to take note and write down the names of all factorages, first thing in the morning.

Finally, well after washing up-and sunset, if before complete darkness-Quaeryt and Vaelora joined Zhelan, Calkoran, and Khaern in the same private room at the Grande Laar Inn they had used months before, where they ate an adequate meal of mutton slices and gravy with slightly overfried lace potatoes.

“What are your plans, sir?” asked Khaern. “Will we be riding out for Laaryn on Jeudi or Vendrei?”

“I’m considering not going that way at all. There are roads up the Phraan. The distance would be shorter, and we’d rejoin the Great Canal at Eluthyn. After that we can use the road along the Great Canal.”

“How good are those roads to Eluthyn? Do you know?” asked Zhelan.

“The maps I have show that there are roads. I doubt they’re any better than the ones we’ve been traveling.” Quaeryt decided against asking if they could be worse. He knew from experience just how bad the roads in Bovaria could be-except for those ancient stone roads laid down by the Naedarans, roads so durable that they still put to shame anything built more recently by Bovarians. “There’s another reason I’d like to take the way along the Phraan. The people will see that Lord Bhayar does indeed hold Bovaria … and Bhayar won’t have to send a regiment on a special trip along the Phraan. Since Meinyt has, or had, Fifth Regiment in Laaryn, we won’t accomplish anything by going that way.”

“The factors and merchants all over Bovaria need a little shaking up,” said Khaern. “That’s just my opinion, sir, Lady Vaelora. I think going up the Phraan would help.”

“It will be harder,” prophesied Calkoran. “They do not know what a true road is. For them a mud track is a road.”

Quaeryt chuckled. “You’re right, but we might as well travel in a way that will help settle Bovaria down and get them to understand Bhayar is here to stay.”

“You do have that talent, dearest,” murmured Vaelora in such a low tone Quaeryt doubted the others had heard.

“I’d like to hear about what each of you needs for your men and mounts,” Quaeryt said quickly, “and what supplies you think we’ll need, especially anything we might not find in smaller towns. There aren’t likely to be many larger towns along the Phraan because it’s shallower and narrower than the River Laar.” And most trade under Kharst and previous rulers relied on the rivers. He looked to Khaern. “If you’d start, Subcommander.”

Quaeryt had no doubt that he and Vaelora would be listening for a time, but he needed to know what was necessary as soon as possible.